No, that wasn't quite right. It was both, and yet neither.
Or perhaps, those two words just weren't enough to describe it?
A waiter arrived with their food, interrupting Mi Feifei's train of thought. By the time she looked back, Lu Xize had already resumed his indifferent expression.
That fleeting, unusual look vanished, as if it had been nothing more than her imagination.
She shook her head and exhaled. "By the way, I passed on your message to Director Gu at my audition today. But you know what he's like. He had me tell you that if Miss Chu can't meet his standards, he won't make an exception, not even for you."
"She can."
Lu Xize cut a piece of steak and put it in his mouth, his tone casual yet utterly certain.
"That confident?"
"Mm."
"But you two haven't seen each other in years, right? People change. Mr. Lu, aren't you afraid you'll be proven wrong?"
Lu Xize didn't respond, merely lifting his eyes to glance at Mi Feifei.
Mi Feifei immediately raised her hands. "Okay, okay. I'll drop it."
'Him? Lu Xize? Be proven wrong? Not a chance!'
Mi Feifei dropped the subject of Chu Yao and asked, "And your mother? How has she been lately?"
"Very well."
"That's good to hear. Sigh. You know, everyone is trying to guess who my secret backer is, making all sorts of wild assumptions. But they could rack their brains forever and never guess that my 'backer' is actually a kidney."
"Thank you, for back then."
"The feeling's mutual. I owe where I am today to your mother and you."
Mi Feifei's smile was genuine. Lu Xize didn't respond, and silence fell between them, broken only by the crisp clinking of cutlery on porcelain.
After dinner, Mi Feifei left with her assistant. Lu Xize, a tall and slender figure, stood before the club's floor-to-ceiling windows, his gaze fixed on the dazzling sunlight outside.
'Yaoyao, I'm back!'
「 」
ACHOO!
Chu Yao rubbed her nose. She had just managed to recover from her shock and bewilderment and was looking at the script for the fourth female lead—just sent over by Shan Wei—when she let out three consecutive sneezes.
'Is someone cursing me?'
Shaking her head, Chu Yao went back to the script. Her phone rang. A glance at the caller ID, and a huge smile spread across her face. "Hello? My dearest, beloved Sister Wei."
"Yaoyao, take a good look at the script. We need to be prepared for either outcome."
"Yes, yes, I will obey my commander's orders."
"I had someone ask around about Mi Feifei, but no one's talking. We don't know which role she auditioned for. Still, with her looks, her presence, and her fame, there's a ninety-nine percent chance she's the female lead. The character profile for the fourth female lead is a good fit for you. If you don't want to take it, I can find you something else."
Shan Wei ignored Chu Yao's wisecracks and continued in an all-business tone. It was rare for an A-list agent like her to be so invested in a little-known actress.
Chu Yao was touched, though she kept up her flippant tone. "No, no, no! Of course I'll take it! Don't worry, Sister Wei, I'll study it hard. I absolutely won't disappoint you and the Party for nurturing me."
"Stop with the wisecracks!"
"Then... 'rearing'?"
CLICK. The line went dead. Chu Yao sheepishly put her phone away, pouted, and buried her nose back in the script.
As she read, her mind started to wander again.
Shan Wei was right. With Mi Feifei's caliber, she was undoubtedly the female lead. It was indisputable.
The second female lead was a brazen, overbearing rich girl, a role Gu Yuxin fit perfectly, at least in appearance.
The third female lead was a teacher, a role that had an age requirement. As for the fourth female lead, although the part wasn't large, she was the protagonist's best friend. Her personality and disposition were very similar to the protagonist's, just without the 'main character halo'.